Strings
by JolinarJackson
Summary: Jack is back, but he doesn't feel like he belongs. Jack/Ianto


**Strings**

_Word Count:_1.638

_Summary:_ Jack is back, but he doesn't feel like he belongs.

_Characters__: _Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones, Toshiko Sato, Owen Harper, Gwen Cooper

_Pairing:_ Jack/Ianto

_Rating:_ M_  
Spoiler: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang  
Setting:_ after _Kiss Kiss Bang Bang__  
Author's Note: _Written for the challenge #002 on redisourcolor. I had to use _"Within moments, time is gone, like a wisp of smoke, gone forever"_ and the words _sunrise, beginnings_ and _lovers_. This is my first _Torchwood_ based fanfiction. I wrote it for fun and then spent two hours surfing Wikipedia to make sure I got the Jack background story right (I mean his time with the Doctor) – and I can proudly say: I have no idea.

_Feedback:_ Can't breathe without it.

_Disclaimer: _I'm not making money with this fanfic. The tv-show _Torchwood_ and the characters appearing within it belong to their producers and creators. Any similarities to living or dead persons are purely coincidental and not intended.

Jack hadn't wanted it to happen but it did. Torchwood Cardiff was never supposed to be more than a little fun on the side, a job to keep him occupied until the Doctor would come for him, a way to help people. No strings attached. But he let it happen and now he was attached. Against better judgement. He'd already seen way too many of his lovers, friends and family pass away, left too many of them to wonder where he went or why. He didn't want to do that anymore.

Jack was standing with his hands in his pockets in his office, his gaze fixed on the four people occupying the Hub. He checked his watch. John Hart should be far away from here by now and their alter egos had hopefully been swallowed by the Rift. An eventful night came to its end. Jack had missed this kind of work. Nevertheless, John's last words were still echoing around his mind. Gray … another person he'd left. Could John be telling the truth? Did he really know where Gray was? Would Gray be able to forgive Jack for stopping to look for him? He'd abandoned him … just like the people here, like everyone else in his life. And still, his office was spotless. The big clean windows allowing him a clear view to his team, his desk was clean and even the decanter filled with scotch as if it had waited all this time just for his return.

Gwen was leaning against Owen's work station, laughing about something the doctor had said. Tosh smiled and rolled her eyes, sharing an amused look with Ianto who was serving coffee. As if nothing had changed. But that wasn't true. Gwen was going to get married – and that hurt somewhere deep down as if Jack had lost something that he hadn't even been aware of being there.

Owen was different – quiet but not withdrawn. The bitterness that had lingered in his eyes since the day Jack had met him had given way to a peaceful gaze preceding witty but no longer hurtful comments. As if – finally – he'd found his place and was ready to move on. Tosh was still all shy gestures and calm manner, but she grinned more openly and the once hidden looks in Owen's direction weren't so secretive anymore, daring him to make a move.

But the most drastic change – the most painful, too, because Jack was unable to figure out when it had happened and he wondered if it had something to do with his absence – was within Ianto. No longer hovering in the background, quietly cleaning up their messes, sad eyes darting through the Hub … he was still the team's caretaker but he was also part of the team. And he'd changed even more beyond that. Smiling, laughing, joking, his shoulders no longer hunched, the blue eyes sparkling with happiness. And _dear Gods_ he was beautiful. Jack had always thought so, from the very first moment he'd laid eyes on young Mr. _"Jones, Ianto Jones"_. But there had always been something tragically beautiful to him, never this open beauty everyone could see. He'd always been Jack's Ianto, only smiling openly when they shared an intimate joke or when they calmed down after a round of particularly good sex. That Ianto had always been Jack's secret.

Maybe Ianto was so happy because another man – or woman – had discovered that secret part of him. His team was getting along just fine without him, Jack realized not for the first time tonight, and suddenly he felt as if he was suffocating. He had to get out. Hurriedly, he left his office. When he passed his team on the way to the cog door they threw him questioning glances. Ianto was the only one to say something. "Sir, should I ready the car?"

"No," Jack answered and was gone.

"What's gotten into him?" Owen asked, chewing on the end of a pen.

Gwen shrugged. "Can't be the Rift. He would have told us."

Owen raised his eyebrows. "You think?"

Gwen hesitated.

Tosh shook her head. "Don't be silly." She looked at the closed door. "What do you think, Ianto?"

He didn't answer and when she looked at where he'd been standing just a minute ago, she realized that he was gone. Loud steps made her turn her head towards Jack's office. Ianto was heading for the cog door, Jack's coat in his hand.

"Don't run after him," Owen complained but Ianto just glared at him and left. Owen sighed in frustration. "Great. Everything back to how it was then, right? Jack throwing a hissy fit and tea-boy doing the lost puppy routine."

"Owen!" Gwen said sharply, "We have no idea what he's been through."

"Been through?" Owen snorted, "Maybe he went clubbing with Hart. For all we know, he could have been at the beach somewhere in the fucking Pegasus galaxy."

Tosh and Gwen glared at him and Owen got up off his chair. "Oi, he just leaves I get the death glares. How's that fair?" With that, he left for the med bay.

The bronze roof reflected the sunrise. He'd forgotten to take his jacket with him, Ianto noticed a bit too late. He pressed the coat to his chest while he approached Jack who was standing with his back to him at his usual spot, overlooking the abandoned Roald Dahl Plass.

"Sir?"

Jack didn't turn around. He just shoved his hands into his trouser pockets. Ianto stopped next to him, fighting down the dizziness the height of the roof gave him. "You forgot this."

Jack smiled wistfully. Ianto handed the coat to him and Jack shrugged into it. Ianto watched his face relax for a moment. Every time Jack put on his coat, it was like watching him greet an old friend. Ianto crossed his arms to fight off the cutting breeze coming from the sea. It was quiet for a long time. Ianto waited for Jack to speak. Jack wasn't sure where to start. "I'm back," he finally said, almost helplessly.

Ianto smiled. "That you are."

"Everything changed."

Ianto shrugged. "Not really."

"_You_ did."

Ianto ducked his head. "Not really."

He caught Jack looking questioningly a him out of the corner of his eye.

"Are you cold?"

"A bit, sir," Ianto admitted and soon found himself wrapped in Jack's arms, their chests and hips touching, his head tucked against Jack's neck and Jack's arm around his shoulders and waist. His arms automatically wrapped around Jack's hips.

"I've been gone for so long," Jack said, "Of course things changed. I guess I didn't want them to and I … hoped we could just pick up where we left off."

Ianto breathed in the heady mix of old wool, Jack and fresh air and closed his eyes. He'd missed this. As rare as those quiet moments between them had been – he held them dear.

"I didn't really find what I was looking for," Jack said, his hold tightening. There was an undercurrent of pain in his voice. "And everything got worse after that." His voice broke. "I left you and you learned to get by without me. I was gone for so long – I missed so many things."

Ianto cleared his throat. "Within moments, time is gone, like a wisp of smoke, gone forever." He looked up at Jack. "I read that somewhere a few months ago and … it kinda stuck." Because it reminded him of Jack. He touched Jack's cheek hesitantly, not sure what they were at the moment. Jack had asked him out but Ianto couldn't quite see himself being courted. Too much had happened. They were more than friends, but less than less than lovers and Ianto's mind provided him with Owen's words of them being _"part time shags"_. But the words still stung, after all this time, and it didn't sound quite right.

"What I mean is that we're getting by, but you haven't been gone long enough to be replaced. I doubt that you could ever be."

"Time flew by, huh?" Jack asked.

"When you're having fun," Ianto added with a grin, then shook his head, "We missed you. We're glad you're back. I don't think that Gwen is all too happy with her position as a leader."

"I missed you." Jack turned his face away, as if casually overlooking the city, but Ianto could feel that he was tensing up. "I had kind of a rough time." He didn't elaborate and Ianto didn't think that it was his place to ask.

"So, Ianto Jones," Jack said suddenly, his trademark grin in place and the desire to change the topic in his eyes, "Who's rocking your boat these days?"

Ianto laughed. "Nobody," he answered.

Jack cupped his his cheek with a hand, pulling him impossibly closer. "Look at you," he said softly, taking in the sparkling blue eyes, flushed cheeks and dark wind-tousled hair. "You're beautiful. Who wouldn't want you?"

Ianto tried to duck his head, but Jack tipped his chin up with his thumb.

"I agreed to go on a date with you, didn't I?"

"Right." Jack dropped a kiss on his lips.

Ianto smiled. "Does that make us, like, a couple?"

Jack grimaced. "More like lovers." His arm dropped from around Ianto's shoulders to his waist. "We'll see about the couple bit later."

"Right," Ianto answered, "Wouldn't want to tie you down." He sounded disappointed, even to his own ears. He looked over the city.

Jack's lips against his temple, then his ear. "You already did. I came back for _you_."

Ianto looked at him, a soft smile on his lips. He didn't answer.

"To new beginnings", Jack whispered.

Ianto sighed, pressing a kiss to the side of his neck. "New beginnings."

END

JJ 06/10


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